By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

St. Joseph Flyers and the Rock Hill Redmen in a close game.

So, what’s new?

The Flyers and Redmen opened the season on Monday with the Flyers building an early lead and holding on for a 53-51 win.

Eli Whaley knocked down four 3-pointers and scored 16 points and Wesley Neal had 14 points and 6 rebounds to pace the Flyers.

Stephen Ison had the hot-hand for the Redmen as he connected on 7 3-pointers and scored 21 points. Kelan Davidson added 9 points.

Whaley scored 8 points as he drained a pair of 3-pointers to give the Flyers a 15-8 first quarter.

Carson Medinger scored the first 4 points of his career in the quarter and Ison added a 3-pointer for the Redmen.

Whaley bombed a pair of 3-pointers and Neal scored 4 points as the Flyers extended the lead to 31-17 at the half.

Ison hit a pair of 3-pointers and Kelan Davidson added 3 points for Rock Hill.

But in the third quarter Davidson scored 6 points, Yaden Bailey hit a trey and scored 5 points as the Redmen outscore the Flyers 19-10 and cut the deficit to 41-36.

Neal had 4 more points and Landon Rowe hit a triple to keep the Flyers in front.

Ison drilled three more 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and Rylan Barker had 5 points including a 3-pointer in the late rally.

But the Flyers held on as Whaley drilled another trifecta and sank a foul shot, Neal hit a clutch basket and Aiden Deborde had 4 points including 2 key free throws to clinch the win.

The Flyers visit Northwest on Friday. The Redmen host Grace Christian in a triple header on Thursday.

Rock Hill 8 9 19 15 = 51

St. Joseph 15 16 10 12 = 53

ROCK HILL (0-1): Drew Schug 0 0 0-0 0, Izaak Cox 1 0 1-2 3, Kelan Davidson 3-6 0-0 3-3 9, Rylan Barker 0 2 1-2 7, Stephen Ison 0 7 0-0 21, Yaden Bailey 1 1 2-2 7, Carson Medinger 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 7 10 7-9 51. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Cox.

ST. JOSEPH (1-0): Aiden Deborde 3-6 0-3 3-4 9, Eli Whaley 2-3 4-9 0-2 16, Landon Rowe 0-1 2-4 1-2 7, Beckharm Waginger 0 0 0-0 0, Kai Clark 1-1 0-0 0-0 2, Wesley Neal 6-7 0-1 2-3 14, Zane Dressel 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Carson Willis 1-3 0-0 0-0 2, Carter Johnson 1-5 0-0 1-2 3. Totals: 14-26 6-17 7-13 53. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 15 (Neal 6, Rowe 3). Assists: 12 (Rowe 4, Deborde 3, Neal 3). Steals: 9 (Deborde 4, Whaley 2). Turnovers: 9.